Investigation into investment funds

It seems that every time we open the financial press there’s a new story about failed funds. My recent investigation into investment funds that have been unsuccessful suggests that failure is often caused by managers rolling the dice once too often. Some are just bad ideas where the fund manager was trying to make a ‘silk purse from a sow’s ear’, others are a result of literature being economic with the truth; and then there’s the downright dishonest and fraudulent scams.

Most people know how to safeguard their homes and property from thieves and vagabonds. It is possible to protect your wealth with a similar level of care . The ‘regulatory authorities’ around the world have also put supporting measures in place to combat financial crime.

Regulators Oversee The Conduct Of Advisers

The UK has a robust regulatory body called the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), and a thriving advice sector. The Retail Distribution Review (RDR) was a set of new rules designed in 2013 to protect individuals that make investments. The aim was to ensure that there is more transparency and fairness in the financial services industry. The most significant change as a result of the review was that financial advisers will no longer receive commissions from fund management companies when they sell investment products.

The RDR separated advisers into clear categories:

Independent advisers

Tied agents

Independent Financial Advisers (IFAs) are obliged to provide ‘best advice’ to clients. They charge hourly fees to clients as opposed to receiving commission payments from providers.

Tied agents are allowed to be paid by commission. They do however have a duty to pass enquiries on to IFAs when their company does not provide products in particular areas. They must also declare their non-independence and disclose commission payments.

Investigation into investment funds: Draining The Swamp

The objective of the RDR was to ‘drain the swamp’ and offer the general public peace of mind in the knowledge that they are dealing with regulated and qualified professionals at all times. Although it is true that IFAs and tied agents do provide quality advice, rip-offs and scams seem to have multiplied like out of control computer malware.

Commission payments may have been the cause of poor advice in the past; however, they are not the only example. There is a significant difference between poor advice and outright fraud. By the same token, commission payments are not going to make a great deal of difference with funds that turn out to be dogs. Unfortunately, there appear to be many funds in this category.

Poor Performing Esoteric Funds

On the subject of dogs, one particular fund invested in recycling comes to mind, . On the face of it, this fund had a good story. The move towards recycling and renewable energy sources has been well-publicised. The forecasts are very positive for the future of green investments. However, this fund failed as a result of being incredibly restrictive in its investment remit. On further investigation, it transpired that the fund contained shares issued by one company only. The brochure did not highlight this; the true facts only came to light after the fund’s collapse. As it only invested in one shareholding, the fund’s risk rating should have been much higher than it actually was. That was not how it was sold to the public!

Unregulated Collective Investment Schemes

Funds such as Unregulated Collective Investment Schemes (UCIS) tend to be based in secretive offshore islands. Although many of these territories protest their innocence, it is of no surprise that fraudulent funds choose to be registered in them. Not all funds based in secretive offshore centres are bad ones. However, my investigation into investment funds suggests that most bad funds tend to be based in secretive offshore centres!

Investment Timing

The last part of the investigation into investment funds concerned professional fund management. It is important to have confidence in the person/manager who is responsible for the investment of your money. One disturbing finding was that at least 70% of inexperienced investors tend to buy and sell at the wrong moments. Unfortunately, members of the public are often seduced into purchasing investments that are based on past performance figures. This leads to many buying high and selling low. Let’s not forget the old adage: Investments can go down as well as up.

Discretionary Fund Management

Investors can improve their chances of good returns and downside protection by taking certain steps. One such option is to employ professional advisers to manage your money via a Discretionary Fund Management (DFM) product. Many city stock-brokers and fund management groups offer DFM’s. The basic principle is that they select a wide range of funds and securities, sourced from the market as a whole. DFM’s are regularly monitored and adjusted to reflect both risk and the economic outlook. No individual investor, or IFA, could possibly afford the time and resources needed to compete with a company whose sole ‘raison d’etre’ is looking after your money. Whether you are investing in a pension, a QROPS, or an investment portfolio, DFM’s are worth considering.

Tips For Conducting An Investigation Into Investment Funds

Below are a number of investment tips:

Steer clear of UCIS funds based in secretive offshore centres

It is important to choose your adviser carefully

You should be dubious of investing with someone who has cold-called you

Look beyond the glossy brochures and sales-speak

Be very sceptical about esoteric themes

A good adviser will always explain the charges to you. Ask him to do so

Fees and commissions are both acceptable as as long as you receive value for money

About Des Cooney

Des Cooney is a renowned International Pensions expert with over 27 years experience in pension and wealth management. His main specialty is in the transfer of UK pensions to QROPS and International SIPPs.

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About AXIS

AXIS Consultants are a team of Overseas Pensions experts helping expats make the best investment decisions about their retirement.

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